Page 13 of His Ruin
Every single time I see her cry, it’s like a stab to the gut. That knife twists unpleasantly, and it has my anxiety revving. Bitterness uncurls in my being as I turn my glare on our nanny. “She isn’t doing anything wrong.”
Mrs. Jasmine sucks her teeth in disapproval. “Both of your clothes are ruined. Go get changed.”
Melody tucks her head, sniffling quietly as I take her hand in mine. I don’t care for physical touch, but my sister needs it. It’s the only way to comfort her, even when myskin crawls unpleasantly. But with Melody, the sensation of invisible bugs under my flesh isn’t present. It almost feels…natural.
“Come on,” I say quietly, dragging her back to our home. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She gives me a watery smile. “I ruined my dress—”
“You have plenty,” I interject. “Don’t let her get to you.”
She squeezes my hand in a silent thank you as we head for the house. Ms. Love meets us at the terrace door, a grin on her face. “Look at you two! Can I get a picture?”
Melody wipes her eyes, giving me a contemplative glance. “Can we?”
My expression softens. “Sure.”
I wrap an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to me. Melody’s little hand tucks into my chest, and as that unfamiliar upturn of my lips tugs at the corners of my mouth, it almost feels normal.
Ms. Love snaps the picture on her phone, staring at it with affection. “You two are so adorable. Go get cleaned up before the photographer gets here.”
If there’s one thing I do like about Melody’s mom, it’s that she doesn’t stress over trivial things. She’s always a bucket of sunshine, and I know where my sister gets her positive outlook from.
I escort Melody upstairs, holding onto her hand tightly until we get to our rooms. When I finally release her, my palm no longer feels warm. Coldness curls around my digits, making me flex my fist at my side.
“Thank you,” my sister says softly before pressing up on her toes and placing a gentle kiss on my cheek.
My eyes widen as my heart slams. I know it’s innocent and sisterly in its meaning, but that doesn’t stop my reaction. Breathing feels impossible, and I can only swallow past the thickness of emotion in my throat. It’s all new and overwhelming.
“Um…” I trail, my lips moving without sound. “Go change.” I turn on my heel, leaving her in the hall as I slam my door. I put my back to it, trying to catch my breath as I hold a hand to my racing heart.
Am I dying?
What is this?
Why can’t I breathe?
Chapter nine
Kaden
“DoyouthinkIcan try strawberry?” Melody asks quietly from beside me.
We’re out in the city with Dad and Ms. Love today. One of our stops was to check up on my stepmom’s new storefront. There were tarps everywhere and fresh white paint drying on the walls. Racks of clothes were shoved into the back room with a promise from the interior designer that everything was on track for the grand opening.
Not wanting to go home just yet, Dad suggested we have a family outing. Most of what we’ve done today is sightseeing and walking until our feet hurt. Ms. Love suggested we stop for ice cream on the last leg of our trip.
“Do you want to try it?” I ask quietly.
Our parents are a few paces ahead of us, their heads tucked together as they smile at each other.
“I do…” Melody trails. “But what if I don’t like it?”
An idea forms, and I shrug. “Don’t worry about that.”
She nods as we near the little shop, and Dad opens the door for us. The inside is cool, and the sweet scent of sugar and cream wafts through the air. A few families are seated at the small white tables, enjoying their treats as the day draws to a close.
I stand with Ms. Love at the glass case, the brightly colored tubs of ice cream sitting chilled beyond the counter, as Dad takes Melody to a table.
